SG1:3 A Bird In The Hand
by A Rhea King
Summary: Daniel and his symbiot Frank are trying to adjust to each other, but when SG1 is captured by the Priors, it takes both of them to make a courageous escape.
1. Chapter 1

A Bird in the Hand  
A. Rhea King

**Chapter 1**

Arrows flew from one direction. Bursts from powered weapons came from the other. And in the middle, were the culprits that started the battle. Sam, Mitchell, Teal'c and Daniel had come to this planet and found the Prior's had started convincing the people to follow their faith. It was apparently enough to anger Frank, he took over the body and in less than an hour, the Priors and villagers were fighting each other because he'd convinced the villagers the Priors were con artists. Now they were huddled behind rocks, trying to stay out of the line of fire.

"Jackson! Dial the gate."

Daniel started to move. His eyes flashed with light and he fell back.

"Dial it your damn self!" Frank snapped back.

Mitchell shot him a glare. "Give Daniel back now, Frank."

"NO! Any idiot can see sticking your neck above these rocks will get it shot off."

"Frank, give him his body back."

"No. I'm no--"

The light disappeared from Daniel's eyes. "Sorry about that."

"Just dial the gate," Mitchell ordered.

Dodging from rock to rock he made his way to the DHD. SG-1 followed him, keeping him covered as best they could. Daniel dialed home and ducked behind a rock with Sam. Daniel looked back when the gate burst open, his own eyes flashing with light.. Sam looked at him and he met her eyes. She saw nothing but terror in those brown eyes – an emotion she wasn't accustomed to seeing.

"Frank, Cameron hasn't--" Sam started to say.

Frank ran for the gate and jumped in.

"That gutless... FALL BACK!" Mitchell ordered.

They ran through the gate and came out in the S.G.C. Daniel was sitting on the ramp, head in hands. He looked up, watching them pass him without a word. The light in his eyes faded and he closed his eyes.

"Damn you, Frank," Daniel whispered.

* * *

Frank dribbled a basketball around the court, feeling its rough texture against their hand. There were times when Frank's emotions were overwhelming and confused him. With seeing people killed by the Priors and then running out on the team before Mitchell gave the order, Frank's shame and guilt almost felt like his own.

'_This isn't translation, you know,_' Daniel teased.

'_Thought you weren't speaking to me,_' Frank said.

'_Yeah... It was only your second mission. I guess we can't expect everything to go right._'

Frank threw the ball at the net in anger. It bounced off the backboard and he caught it.

"Daniel, I'm never... I'm never going to be like you," Frank told him out loud.

'_I know that._'

"No one else does."

'_Hey, when I started this I hadn't even handled a gun before and certainly never killed anyone. I_--'

"Those villagers are going to die because of me. And did you see how Sam, Teal'c, Mitchell looked when they came through the gate? Most of the base isn't even talking to us because of it."

'_There's more going on than that_.'

"How do you know that? No one's talked to us?"

'_Gut feeling. Play basketball, Frank. That always makes you relax, and then I get relaxed, and then we'll go translate something._'

Frank smiled, tossing the ball into the air. It glided through the air and smoothly through the hoop and net.

'_Wow. That was pretty good,_' Daniel said.

Frank felt Daniel smile and start to relax. He smiled. '_Shoulda seen me in high school – in numerous high schools, actually. Oh, wait. You can, can't you?_' He ran to catch the ball and line up for another shot.

'_It's not the same. But what?_'

'_This too will pass, Daniel. You'll see. New stuff scares humans. And thu'lo. We just hide it better, I think._'

Daniel chuckled. Frank shot the ball again and made another basket. They were both startled when someone clapped. Mitchell stood in the door, leaning against the frame.

"Pretty good," he said, smiling.

"Thanks," Frank answered and started dribbling again.

'_First time he's talked to us since we got back from the mission,_' Daniel muttered. '_Don't piss him off, okay, Frank?_'

"Did you need something?" Frank asked. He turned, aimed and shot.

"No. Not really. Just noticed you were playing and stopped to watch."

'_Right_,' Frank and Daniel thought together.

Frank jogged to catch the ball. Mitchell moved faster and caught it before him. Frank moved back, watching him dribble the ball slowly. Mitchell looked up at Frank, right into his glowing eyes. Landry had been the only other person to do that since Daniel and Frank returned to the SGC. Another first.

"Been holing up a lot, haven't you two?"

"Holing up?"

"Yeah. You two never seem to come out of his office much and you've been scarce on the last two missions. Could have really used one of you on the last one. Found these tablets with a bunch of crazy writing on it." Mitchell shot the ball. It almost made it in, bounced off the rim, the wall and hit the floor. Frank and Mitchell both ran after it. Frank grabbed it, made a sharp right, pivoted and shot over Mitchell's arms as he jumped. The ball made it through the hoop.

"Been busy," Frank muttered.

"Busy? Seems more like you two have been scared."

"I guess you didn't see what happened in the cafeteria."

"I did."

"And you wonder why we've kept to ourselves?"

Mitchell caught the ball and spun to face them, holding the ball tight to his chest.

"Who's scared of facing people? You or Daniel?"

Frank slowly stepped back, holding Mitchell's gaze.

'_Both. Just tell him both_'

"Daniel says both. He's right, I guess. I... I dunno what we're doing half the time. It gets pretty confusing in here."

"Kind of like Siamese twins, huh?" Mitchell tossed the ball to Frank.

Frank caught it, looking at it. "Sort of."

"Course, I have noticed that people have been giving you two the cold shoulder. Even Teal'c has been avoiding you two."

"He didn't like this idea from the start, I heard."

"Nope, but he'll get over it."

"And Sam?" Frank looked up.

"Frank, you're older than all of us. You should know that with change comes adjustments, right? Granted, we'd all like the old Daniel back just the way he was, with no extra voice or mind in him, but what's done is done. You saved his life and I'm good with that."

"And that's what _you_ think about all of this?"

"Toss me the ball."

"No answer?"

"Toss me the ball."

Frank tossed him the ball. In a burst of speed he dribbled toward the basket. Frank moved to block him and was all over him trying to block the shot. Mitchell and he jumped and he just barely kept the ball from making its shot with the tips of his finger. He landed on his feet, caught the ball and spun to face Mitchell. Mitchell was smiling.

"I think Jackson really sucks at basketball and you're going to give me a run for my money."

'_What? I've won before._'

"He says he's won before, Cameron."

"I let him."

'_He what?_'

"He doesn't believe you."

"And what do you believe?"

"I believe..." Frank smirked. "I believe you."

'_The support is overwhelming_, Frank.'

"That piss him off?" Mitchell laughed.

"He's not happy."

'_Kick his ass, Frank._'

"But I have explicit orders to kick your ass."

"Bring it on."

Frank dribbled toward the net, laughing at Mitchell's attempts to stop him. They became so wrapped up in the game that they didn't see Landry come to the door and watch. He smiled at their teasing and banter. Mitchell had been concerned about Daniel refusing to go on missions and apparently took Landry's advice to talk to the two of them.

"Sir," a soldier said, walking up.

He turned away from the game.

"Sergeant Major Whitmore is waiting in your office, sir."

"SG-9's new member. Tell her I'll be with her in a moment."

He nodded and walked away. Landry turned back to the game. In a struggle for the ball, Mitchell accidentally tripped them both. They hit the cement hard, but came up taunting each other about it. Landry turned away, leaving them alone. In time, he knew the rest of the staff of the SGC would accept Daniel and Frank. It was a matter only time could work out.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Carter came around the corner to a set of stairs and stopped short. Daniel was sitting half way up reading a piece of paper. It had been creased over and over and showed signs of wear.

"Daniel."

He looked up with glowing eyes. She looked down, falling back a step.

"Sorry, Sam. What?" Daniel asked.

She looked back up. The glow was gone, his voice was normal again.

"We've been trying to find you. We're needed in the briefing room."

Daniel stood, folded the paper along the creases and slid it in his back pocket. He walked down the stairs and around her. She fell in beside him.

"What were you reading?"

"An email."

"Looks like you've read it a few times."

Daniel nodded.

"Or has Frank?"

"Both."

They fell silent for a few minutes.

"Can I ask--"

"Frank's daughter," Daniel said.

Shocked by the information, Carter stopped walking. When Daniel didn't stop she jogged to catch up. She stepped in front of him, forcing him to stop.

"Frank has a daughter?"

Daniel nodded.

"He never said anything about a daughter. It wasn't even in his file."

"He asked it withheld."

"Why?"

Daniel's eyes flashed. "Why are you so interested in my life all of a sudden, Sam?" Frank demanded.

Carter backed up a few steps. Frank shook his head.

"Don't pretend to be interested in me. If you ever become interested in me, and it's not for posterity's sake, then you have a right to pry into my private life." Frank started to pass her, but stopped next to her, looking up into her eyes. The light faded from her eyes.

"Sorry. He's... Things haven't been going so good for us and... He's got some personal things going on. I'm sorry about him..." Daniel tried to finish, his mouth moved soundlessly. He turned and walked away.

Carter wanted to explain why she was acting like she was toward Daniel and Frank, but she knew Frank was there and that made it so difficult. She didn't know or trust Frank, and the couple of times they'd talked it had gone like this.

Carter slowly turned and continued to the briefing room.

* * *

Bursts of blue energy shot from the dark. The night vision camera on the M.A.L.P. could just barely make out forms. It picked up the sounds of SG-9 firing rounds at the forms. The bullets hit an invisible force, flashed with bright light and evaporated.

Light flashed over the area, momentarily blinding the camera as it adjusted for the new light. They couldn't see anyone beyond the half circle three soldiers made in front of it. Their faces were hidden by the darkness of night and the shadow their helmets cast from the gate.

"Gate's open, sir!" a voice said. One of the soldiers came back into sight

"Fall back." Colonel Rickes said, turning his head slightly.

The soldier turned and ran. Suddenly he fell back. He got up and ran, and this time fell back hard.

"What's wrong?" Colonel Rickes asked.

"They've blocked off the gate."

"Is the camera on the M.A.L.P. still transmitting?"

"Yes."

"Tell them we need support fast. The Priors came out of no where and--"

The video cut out.

SG-1 turned from the screen to General Landry.

"When do we leave?" Mitchell asked.

Landry sat a folder on the table near Daniel. He reached out for it, his eyes flashing. Frank looked up at Landry.

"Maybe we should send another M.A.L.P. and make sure they aren't still being attacked," Frank suggested.

"We already have. It's pitch black on the planet and we couldn't see anything. I want you to go through but--"

"Then we should wait until dawn." Frank said.

They all looked at him.

"They may not have until dawn," Teal'c said, looking him in the eyes. "If you are afraid to go, perhaps you should allow Daniel Jackson to be in control. He would not hesitate with his duties."

Frank swallowed, looking at the folder. He snatched it up, opening it. Files on the members of SG-9 were in it and he began skimming them.

"Actually, because Colonel Rickes said something about the Priors, it may be an ambush. We should probably wait until dawn to go," Mitchell said. "That makes more sense."

Frank sat up, staring at one of the files. He rapidly flipped through the pages, looking for something.

"We don't know what kind of danger they are in, Cameron. We should go now." Carter said.

Frank pulled out a page with a picture paper clipped to it. He stood suddenly.

"We're going now," he announced and headed for the stairs.

The four were dumbfounded by the sudden change in him. Carter looked at him, watching him disappear down the stairs. She looked at Landry.

"Uhm..." Mitchell looked at the files. "Who's on that team, sir?"

"You know all but one of them: Colonel Rickes, and Sergeant Major Jefferies and Combs. Major Whitmore joined the team three weeks ago and it was her first mission with them."

"Do you think he knew one of them? Frank, I mean."

"I doubt it, but it doesn't matter. They need rescued and I'm sending you in. Do you want to wait until dawn, Colonel Mitchell?"

Mitchell shook his head. "Frank's geared to go and I don't want to risk him loosing his nerve."

"Daniel would go, you know," Carter said, "if you _told_ him to."

Mitchell looked her in the eyes. "I don't doubt Daniel would, but they both have to agree or Daniel's no good to me."

"Is it not Daniel we need on missions, not Frank?" Teal'c said.

"We need them both."

"What could we possibly need with Frank on a mission like this?" Carter demanded.

Mitchell stood, started to walk away and then turned back. "You two need to get a grip with the situation. They're trying, guys, and this isn't easy for either of them. And if you gave Frank half a chance, you'd see he's really a good guy. He--"

"He is a goa'uld," Teal'c corrected.

"He is part of Daniel forever, and his own person at the same time."

"He isn't a person, he is a goa'uld," Teal'c said.

Mitchell leaned on the table, staring into Teal'c's steady gaze. "Is Frank being a goa'uld a problem for you? Is _that_ why you haven't talked to Daniel for almost a month now?"

Teal'c stood. "I will be prepared to leave in ten minutes." Teal'c walked to the door and disappeared around the corner. Carter quickly gathered her papers and hurried after him. Mitchell stood with his hands on his hips. H flexed his jaw, trying to get a handle on his anger. He had been tempted to blow up at them for doing what they were to Daniel, but he knew that wasn't going to help anything.

"You handled that well, Mitchell," Landry said. "Bring SG-9 back safe."

He looked up, watching the man retreat to his office.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The gate burst open and SG-1 jogged out. Frank brought up the rear, his eyes glowing. He pulled the flashlight from his belt and flicked it on. He pushed through them, looking into the darkness.

"Abigail!" Frank called.

Mitchell slapped his hand over his mouth. Carter grabbed the flashlight and flicked it off.

"Shhh," Mitchell whispered.

Frank pulled away.

Mitchell made hand motions, sending Carter right and Teal'c left.

"Stay close, guys," Mitchell told Frank.

Frank followed close, but his attention was on the darkness surrounding them. Suddenly he tripped and fell. He turned, staring into the lifeless eyes of Colonel Rickes. Frank scrambled away, his eyes glowing brighter. A soft sound escaped, the muffled sound of a scream, and then his eyes stopped glowing. Daniel picked himself up, swinging his rifle around.

"Jackson?" Mitchell asked.

"What?"

"What's wrong with Frank?"

"We have to find Major Whitmore."

"You going to tell me why?"

Daniel turned to him. "Abigail Whitmore is his daughter, and right now he's worried sick she's been killed too."

"Keep down but keep looking."

Daniel turned to leave.

"Daniel."

"Hm?" he turned back.

"I'm sure she's fine. Tell him that."

"He heard you." Daniel walked away.

Mitchell didn't move. That explained Frank's sudden change of heart, but it made him feel awful. He knew full well she was transferred to the SGC and assigned to SG-9, but Landry had made him promise not to tell Daniel or Frank until they had some time to adjust. He was concerned that this might cause them to regress.

Daniel saw the form of a body and stopped. He knelt down next it. The person had blond hair so light it gleamed even in the darkness.

'_Black hair. My baby girl has black hair_,' Frank told him.

Daniel nodded. "I know, Frank, but I need to see who it is and get their dog tags."

A surge of sorrow threatened Daniel's composure. He pushed it back, reaching for the body and rolling it over. It was a woman in her early thirties and her chest charred from a power blast. Daniel pulled her dog tags off and put them in a pocket.

'_Is this... What we do, Daniel?_' Frank asked.

"Not always," Daniel whispered. "This is just one of the sadder spots in our life."

'_Is this what the Priors do to people?_'

"Not normally. This feels off."

'_A trap?_'

"Maybe."

Daniel stood, his hands tightening on his weapon when Frank felt sudden fear.

'_Is this what system lords do?_'

Daniel's head dropped and this time his own sorrow threatened to bring him to tears. He remembered Cha're and Skaara, and many others lost to system lords over the years. He nodded.

'_No wonder everyone hates me._'

Daniel started walking. "Cameron and General Landry like you."

Frank felt squirmy and Daniel smiled. "I know. You want Teal'c and Carter to like you... For me."

'_Yes._'

Daniel didn't say or think anything else. Frank and he spent hours talking about this, he knew that Frank felt bad that two of his closest friends were avoiding him because of him. If they'd just get to know Frank...

Daniel spotted a body lying on the ground. He walked over to it and knelt down.

'_Abigail. It's Abigail. Is she alive? Check her pulse? Is she too cold? Daniel, is she_--'

"Stop, Frank," Daniel quietly ordered.

"Clear," Carter called.

In the distance he heard Teal'c say the same thing. He looked back when the other three turned on flashlights, surprised to see they were so far away. He pulled a penlight from a pocket and switched it on. Daniel rolled Abigail over. She had a head wound that had matted her shiny black hair against her head and forehead. Frank was afraid for her, concerned. Daniel felt his desire to grab her and hold her tight.

'_Is she alive? Daniel, is she alive?_'

"Just a minute, Frank." Daniel reached out, putting his fingers against her neck. He and Frank were both relieved to feel a strong pulse. "Probably just unconscious." Daniel put his flashlight back in his pocket and picked her up. He walked back to the DHD and laid her down in the grass.

As light flashed in his eyes, he reached down and stroked her hair.

"Baby, why didn't you tell me you were trying for this?" Frank whispered.

He jumped when he heard dry weeds crunch. Teal'c was standing behind him. Frank retrieved the first aid kit off F.R.E.D. and knelt back beside her. Carefully he began cleaning the wound.

"Who is this?" Teal'c asked.

"My daughter."

"Another goa'uld?"

"No. She's tau'ri."

"Then she cannot be your daughter."

Frank looked up at him. "Does a daughter have to be born of your blood, Jaffa? Can't I love her as if she were?"

Teal'c said nothing for a moment. He knelt on her other side.

"She is wounded here," he motioned to the dark spot on her arm.

Frank moved the first aid kit so he could reach it and bandaged her wounds. Mitchell and then Carter returned to them. Carter glanced at the girl, but didn't say anything.

"Anyone else alive?" Mitchell asked.

"No," the three answered.

Mitchell looked around them. "Let's head back. She needs a medic and we can't do anything else here."

"Are we going to come back for the bodies?"

"Yes, when it's light."

Carter walked around the DHD and began dialing. From out of nowhere an energy burst hit her in the back. She fell against the DHD and hit the ground.

"Take cover!" Mitchell bellowed.

"Where?" Frank demanded.

More energy bursts erupted from around them, pinning them down.

"Jackson, the gate!"

Frank moved to a crouch and moved around to dial. He reached for one of the symbols and jumped back when it was hit. Teal'c and Mitchell laid down fire. Frank looked up at Carter. He checked her pulse and was relieved to find she was alive.

'_Dial, Frank! Before we end up like SG-9_!' Daniel ordered.

"They are _shooting_ at us!"

'_They are_ always _shooting at us. DIAL THE DAMN GATE, FRANK_!'

Frank got up and continued dialing. He felt something sting in his back and turned.

"Daniel?" he said, and then fell.

Mitchell and then Teal'c fell, and the Priors stopped firing on them. The six of them walked forward, surrounding them. As one they lifted their staffs and lowered them to the ground. Themselves and everything between them but the DHD disappeared.

* * *

There was a dull pounding somewhere nearby and once Daniel was aware of it, he became aware of the headache that hurt from his temples down into his shoulders. He opened his eyes, staring at the wall he was facing. And still the pounding continued. He rolled onto his back, looking around him. There was a table and over it he could just see someone that looked like Carter moving back and forth in sync with the pounding.

'_Where the hell are we?_' Frank whispered.

"I don't know," Daniel answered. He staggered to his feet, starting to recognize this room. There were high, square, windows, strong double doors, an equally strong table, and a bowl of fruit sitting in the center of the table. Daniel suddenly recognized this room, to his dismay. "On second thought... We're in the City of the Gods and this is the dining room Vala and I were held in."

'_Oh. Just an Ori stronghold? And here I thought we were in trouble,_ DANIEL!'

Daniel grimaced, tried to hold back the memory of the place, but it came forward on it's own. And Frank's fear followed. It was so strong that Daniel thought it would control him, but at the last minute, he grabbed a hold of his courage.

'_This is the memory? You two were almost killed? We're going to die, Daniel!_' Frank bellowed at him.

Daniel leaned a hand on the table, sighing. "Frank, calm down. I--"

'_CALM DOWN? DANIEL, WE ALMOST DIED!_'

"FRANK!" Daniel snapped.

The thu'lo went silent. Carter turned, staring at him.

"Sam, what are you doing?" Daniel asked. His voice made his headache flare and he winced.

"Trying to get us out of here," she answered.

She turned back to the door, lifted a five foot candelabra she and began pounding on the door again. There was a small dent in the door from her ceaseless strikes, but Daniel knew from experience it was pointless to keep trying.

'_How long do you think we should let her keep wasting her energy_?' Frank mused.

"Sam, stop."

She didn't listen. Daniel moved toward her, stumbling as his head began swimming. He and grabbed the candelabra in mid-strike, looking her eyes. She drew a breath and looked away.

'_What was that?_'

Daniel tried to pull the candelabra away and she pulled back.

"They're going to kill us. We have to get out of here."

"Sam, you can't break the door down."

"You and Frank don't know that."

"Yes, we do. I do. Vala tried this for several hours the last time we were here."

Sam looked back up. "What?" She let the candelabra go.

Daniel put it back in the corner he remembered it was in. He turned back to her.

"Vala and I were brought here by the Priors when we were in Harrid and Sallis. Those are probably the dents she put in the door." Daniel motioned at the door.

Carter looked at the door. Daniel walked over to a chair, pulled it out and sat down. With an elbow on the table, he put his head in his hand. Carter slowly sat down in a chair next to him.

"Are you... Are you two alright?"

He nodded. "My head hurts, but I think we're okay." Daniel lifted his head, looking up at her. "And Frank is fine."

She nodded, looking at the table. A silent, uncomfortable moment passed.

"Sam, do you wish I hadn't joined with Frank?"

She looked, surprised by the question. "If you didn't you'd have died."

Daniel searched for the right words to say what was on his mind.

'_Tell her it sort of feels like you did because all your friends are being distant and you don't know why._'

"I get the impression you wish we hadn't joined, Sam. Every time you talk to me it sounds like you're angry with me."

She sat back in the chair. "When I had Jolinar I... I was so afraid at first, and then I was angry, but then our memories started to merge and I learned about her. And then she let go to save my life. I..." Carter looked at the floor. She grimaced. A tear fell onto her lap.

"You what, Sam?" Daniel asked in a quiet voice.

"I wanted more time with her." Carter looked up suddenly. "I have never told anyone that, Daniel, but I wanted more time with her. Her knowledge and her experiences, good and bad, I wanted to share. And now I watch you and Frank... You have no idea how many times I've come to your office and hear you talking to someone. I look in and don't see anyone, and realize you're talking to Frank. Sometimes I just listen and I'm..."

'_She's jealous of us. What on earth could make her jealous of_ us?'

"Are you jealous of us?"

She smiled and she didn't need to answer. Daniel got up and crouched by her chair.

"Is that why you won't talk to me or Frank?"

"You, anyway. I'm still trying to get used to Frank. He's... Unique."

Daniel stood, nodding. "You have no idea."

'_Hey! What does that mean, Danny Boy?_'

"And I'm getting really tired of you calling me Danny Boy."

'_Danny Boy. Danny Boy. Danny Boy._'

Daniel shook his head. "He picks on me a lot; thinks himself something of a joker."

'_Joker? Me?_'

She looked up at Daniel. "How old is Frank?"

Daniel's eyes flashed with light. Frank laughed, looking down. "Sam, I, uhm..." Frank looked into her eyes. "I came from the goa'uld home world."

She stared unblinking at him.

'_Frank... She's not breathing._'

He reached down, squeezing her shoulder. Quietly he urged, "Breath, Sam."

She gasped a breath, looking away. "You're one of the original goa'ulds that left?"

"Yeah. Ra came back after he found a host and most of us left in hosts." Frank crossed his arms over his chest. "That's the reason I volunteered so insistently to be a part of Daniel. I've been here before so I knew I could handle giving up my freedom."

'Most _of the time you handle it,_' Daniel retorted to him.

She looked up. "So why aren't you a system lord?"

"When it was discovered we could use brain dead hosts," Frank shook his head, leaning on his legs. "The goa'uld split. The system lords you know went their way, we went ours."

"What's stopped the Tok'ra and system lords from going after thu'lo?"

"We outnumber them by a few hundred to one."

"If there's so many, Frank, why didn't the thu'lo do something about the system lords?"

"You really have no idea what they would have been capable of. But we've slowed them down with an occasional wrench in their universe domination plans."

"The thu'lo could have stopped Anubis' attack on Earth."

"You guys were doing just fine without us. You didn't need us."

"We lost pilots in that fight. Good men and women with families."

'_She has a point. Better try another tactic,_' Daniel advised.

Frank thought for a moment. "Do you like dogs?" he asked.

"What?"

"Do you like dogs?"

Carter hesitated, thrown off by the question.

"Yes."

"How much do you like them?"

"Quite a bit."

"You know that whole pit bull controversy going on in Denver?"

"Yes."

"Have you become involved in that controversy?"

"No. Why?" Sam smirked. "Is that some grand goa'uld scheme?"

Frank laughed. "No. But why haven't you taken part in it?"

"I don't have a pit bull."

"Ah. So you haven't been involved because you share their planet, but not their _culture_. You recognize that they have differences they must work out themselves. Is that a wrong a assumption?"

"No." Carter sighed. "I see the point. We had to prove to them they couldn't hurt us or they'd just keep coming, and we probably wouldn't have listened to you anyway, since we'd probably have only seen goa'ulds and not allies."

"Exactly. And --"

'_Frank, are those footsteps?_' Daniel asked.

Frank's eyes flashed as he gave Daniel control.

'_This is it, isn't it? Oh God!_'

"What is it?" Sam asked.

"I think the Priors are coming," Daniel told her.

"How do you know?"

"We can hear their footsteps." Daniel stood.

Sam stood up beside him, turning to the door.

It opened and two Priors entered.

"You will follow us," one said and turned, going back into the hall. He stopped, waiting for them.

Daniel followed him. Carter hesitated.

"You will go with us now," the Prior informed her.

Daniel turned. She walked out into the hall, walking beside Daniel.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Daniel and Carter were met by another group of Priors brining Mitchell, Teal'c and Abigail. Silent looks of concern and worry were exchanged, but they kept silent. Daniel glanced at Abigail beside him. If she was scared, she was hiding it well.

'_Even when her mother died she never showed fear. She's a brave little girl._'

Daniel looked at the floor. He didn't want to remember that day, but Frank apparently did.

He remembered how seven-year-old Abigail stood quietly as he told her that mom was gone, her sickness had taken her away. She looked her father in the eyes, reached up and wiped his tears away. In the softest voice she told him, "It's okay poppa, I'll take care of you for mommy. I promised her I would last night."

Daniel smiled. Frank was right about her being brave.

"What the hell is that?" Mitchell asked.

Daniel looked up. Frank didn't have to be scared. He felt enough fear for the both of them. A fence with an ornate gate stood between them and a raging inferno of fire roaring from a chasm – the Flames of Enlightenment. Despite their intense appearance, the flames didn't heat the room. Instead they danced with great light and Daniel knew that in the flames were the Ori. Standing at the gate was the Doci that had met with Daniel before.

'_Oh God. This is where the Ori come from, Daniel? These assholes tried to burn you to death last time! This can't possibly be worse, can it_?'

"This can't be good," Mitchell muttered.

"It's worse than you think," Daniel told Frank and Mitchell.

The Doci turned and approached them. "You are the ones that have spread word that the Ori are false gods."

"You are," Mitchell retorted.

The Doci smiled, but it was as cold as the flames behind him and it terrified Frank. Daniel could feel that he wanted control of the body to run. Daniel opened his eyes, looking at Abigail. That calmed Frank's fear.

'_That's not fair_,' Frank told him, '_but you're right. I can't leave her_.'

Daniel turned his head, looking right into the eyes of the Doci. He moved to step back and a Prior moved close behind him, stopping his retreat.

"When you were before me you questioned our faith. Through cleansing I would have thought you'd have understood the power of the Ori and ascension, but you have not. For this, you will be the first."

"First... For what?"

One of the Priors grabbed his arm and pulled him forward.

"First for what?" Daniel demanded, holding the Doci's gaze.

He turned his head, seeing he was being led toward the gates. As they approached the gates opened.

"As Priors you five will spread the word," the Doci said.

"The hell we will!" Mitchell said, lunging to grab Daniel.

A Prior turned to him, setting his staff on the ground. Mitchell hit an invisible barrier and fell back. Carter and Teal'c helped him back on his feet, the three watching helplessly as was pulled away.

'_WHAT_?' Frank screamed.

Daniel struggled to stay calm.

"Calm down. You have to calm down!" he told Frank.

They passed through the gates and were stopped at the edge of the cliff.

'_ABIGAIL_!' Frank screamed.

"Abigail," Daniel whispered.

He suddenly realized Frank's fear wasn't for himself; it was for Abigail. He didn't want her to suffer whatever fate was about to consume them and he wanted to get back to her and run. Daniel tried to pull away from the Prior, to do what Frank wanted. Frank took control of the body, determined to save his daughter.

"NO!" Frank screamed. "I'LL KILL ALL OF YOU!"

The Doci walked forward, attracted by the sudden change in Daniel's voice.

"This isn't going to be good," Carter muttered, watching the Doci.

Abigail looked back when Teal'c grabbed her arms and pulled her behind him to protect her. Mitchell moved closer to her.

"What's going on?" Abigail asked.

"Daniel is... Well..." Mitchell looked helplessly to Carter for an answer.

"Special," she finished. "He got really sick and the cure made him different."

"How different?" Abigail quietly asked.

"We're about to find out," Mitchell answered.

The Doci glanced at them as if he'd heard the quiet conversation. He turned back to the Prior.

"Stop. He cannot accept the change!" he barked.

The Prior turned back to him and Frank took advantage of his lack of attention. He threw his arm back, clenched his fist. The Prior turned back as his fist landed hard in the Prior's face. The Prior fell back a step, one foot landing on the edge of the cliff. It crumbled under his weight and he toppled into the chasm, dropping his staff at the edge of the cliff. Frank reached for it at the same time an Ori left the flames and slipped into body.

He gasped, falling onto his hands and knees. Daniel and Frank both felt the Ori starting to change Daniel, converting him into a servant and Prior. It turned to his mind and they felt its intention. It would erase all that Daniel was and make him 'understand' what it was to follow the faith -- a mindless drone with no will.

'_Frank!_' Daniel whispered.

The Ori seeped into Daniel's mind, starting to erase childhood memories.

"You can't have us!" Frank hissed, closing his eyes.

The Ori suddenly sensed Frank. It stopped, it was confused. They both felt it. It didn't understand what it was sensing or feeling.

'_It has a consciousness, Frank_,' Daniel gasped.

Frank slowly sank to the ground. The Ori was going to try to convert them at the same time and the pain it caused!

'_Stay with me, Frank_'

The Ori's progress slipped. It attacked them with force, slowly eating away for their memories. It found memories of Abigail and began to slowly consume them.

"Abigail," Frank whispered.

Frank turned his mind to her. He remembered her birth. Her mother had been in labor for nearly eighteen hours and she was so weak and tired. She had one more push to get Abigail out. Frank wanted to do it for her. He wanted it to be over. His wife bore down and she pushed. He held her hand, kept his hand in the small of her back, whispered to her that their beautiful daughter would be there soon. And she was. The doctor was the first to hold her and Frank saw his smile -- did he always look so proud on the babies he delivered? A nurse took her away to weigh her, clean her nose and lungs, and swaddle her. And then she was being carried back. Frank's heart burst with love at their beautiful daughter.

The Ori's hold slipped.

The tiny human was placed in his arms and he stared lovingly into her black eyes. Even then she had this intense stare that looked right into you and saw everything. He loved her as much as he had any child, he would die for her if he had to. And that may be the case now, because he wasn't going to let these things take her away from him. His love was too great to let that hap--

The Ori lost more ground.

Frank gasped. He felt Daniel's own awe.

'_It can't hold on if we won't let it have our memories,_' they told each other.

Frank looked at the flames. "I'll kill every single one of you to save that little girl."

'_Then let's do just that, Frank,_' Daniel encouraged.

Frank fought back. Daniel fought along side him. The Ori was afraid. It couldn't hold onto their minds. It let go of Frank and tried to keep a hold of Daniel's. In doing it, Frank suddenly gained the knowledge of how to use a Prior's staff. He smirked at the fire.

"You will leave or you will die," Frank hissed.

Daniel suddenly found himself in control of his body. The sudden switch in consciousness ripped the control the Ori had on his mind. It knew that their minds were too integrated for it to try to separate them, and too separated for it to try to take them over together. With vengeance it turned to converting Daniel's body. He screamed, rolling onto his back. The pain of it was excruciating.

'_I don't think so asshole!_' Frank snarled.

Daniel closed his eyes. Frank focused on healing his body everywhere the Ori tried to change it. The two of them raced across Daniel's body with infection and healing, driving needles of pain through him. The Ori may have begun ahead, but Frank quickly beat it. Daniel's eyes flashed and with it the Ori flew out of the body back into the flames. Daniel rolled onto his side, staring at them.

'_They're going to come after us. One we can handle, Frank, but more than that_...'

Frank reached out and grabbed the Prior staff. He climbed to his feet, still facing the flames.

"Take us home, Danny Boy." And he gave Daniel control again.

Daniel turned, walking toward the group. The Doci tensed.

"Destroy him," he ordered.

A Prior moved forward, setting the end of his staff on the floor. Daniel's anger boiled in him; Frank's hate was his fuel. He slammed the end of the staff on the floor. A wave of energy burst from the staff, controlled by their will. It slipped through SG-1 and Abigail harmlessly, but in the Doci and Prior, it snatched their breath away and threw them to the floor. Daniel walked up to the others.

"Grab the staff," he ordered.

Mitchell asked, "What happened?"

Daniel looked at the flames. An Ori was separating and he could see at least three more forming behind it.

"We're don't have time."

They looked up, seeing the Ori and quickly grabbed the staff. Daniel raised the staff up and slammed it to the ground. In a flash they disappeared. The Ori scattered around the room from the shockwave that was left behind. An unearthly scream erupted from the room, spreading through the City of the Gods.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Carter passed two soldiers, smiling at them. She slowed as she came to an open door, listening.

"But how can you be sure?" Daniel asked, and then paused. "But the context is wrong. Frank, you haven't ever met the Anatir before, how can you be so sure that this structure is right? Based on what, exactly?"

She smiled, walking into the room. A large whiteboard was filled with symbols and open books were scattered around him. He held a text in his hand, but stared at the board.

"The Punjabi? They don't even have a written language! Where? Frank, where?" Daniel sighed, tossing the book aside. "Do you want to do this? Well then, stop telling me I'm wrong. I am not wrong!"

Carter cleared her throat. Daniel turned and smiled.

"Hey, Sam."

She sat down on a stool.

"What are you two arguing about?"

"The Anatir language. He says the verbs aren't verbs and there are no adjectives, and I say he's wrong." Daniel walked over to a table, sorting through the text. "Now he wants proof."

Carter laughed. Daniel smiled, glancing at her.

"What?"

"What if he's right?"

"_You'll_ never know."

Carter nodded. "Something tells me Frank would tell me."

Daniel pulled a thin book from the pile. "Did you finish scanning that Prior's staff?"

"Yes. It has an organic power source that's living."

Daniel leaned on the table. "A living power source?"

"I've never seen anything like it."

"But doesn't that mean," Teal'c's voice began. He entered into the room, standing next to Carter, "That if it has a power source, it can be disabled?"

"Yes. One shot from a zat or staff would kill the organism."

"However you'd have to get close enough to one to shoot it," Daniel opened the book, thumbing through the pages. "And from what we learned from the Ori, we're going to have a difficult time figuring out how."

"But it does mean they have a weakness," Teal'c pointed out.

Daniel smiled at him. "Yes. It does mean that." He turned back to the white board and began erasing and replacing words. "Okay, so that one verb was wrong. That doesn't mean you're right."

"Whom are you speaking to?" Teal'c asked.

"Frank," Carter and Daniel answered.

"You converse with him out loud frequently. It makes many people uncomfortable."

Daniel stopped writing and turned. Carter looked up at Teal'c.

"Any person in particular?" Daniel asked.

"Yes."

'_So that's why he hasn't talked a lot to us._'

"I'm sorry."

"As am I. Frank, you have raised your daughter well."

'_Say what?_'

"He has?"

"Yes. She was very brave while were captive and respectful towards Colonel Mitchell and I. She spoke highly of her father, but does wish she could see him again. She was very careful not to reveal what you are to us, and we did not tell her we knew. I believe Mitchell believed the same as I, this is something you must discuss with her."

Daniel nodded. "I want to. I mean, we want to, but we can't. Not yet."

"Why?" Carter asked.

"She doesn't have clearance and probably won't for another year. For now... He'll just have to email her."

Daniel turned back to the board.

"At least General Landry agreed to move her to a back up team. Frank is thankful for that." Quietly he added, "He just hopes we live long enough to tell her the truth."

Carter and Teal'c didn't say anything, not sure there was anything to say at this point. Neither of them could get her the clearance she needed to be told classified information like Daniel and Frank's joining.

* * *

Rakish had been a faithful follower of the Ori since birth. He had memorized the Book of Origin cover-to-cover. When the Prior came to the temple and asked him to become a Doci, his village was pleased and blessed him for being chosen. He followed the Prior's to a strange location that was out of a dream – a blissful, pleasant dream. They led him into a temple and through halls where he passed other Priors. He was led into a room with a chasm of fire behind a fence. The Prior opened the gates in the fence and motioned him in. He was afraid suddenly, not sure what this honor was going to be. But his faith found him and he walked through the gates to the edge of the cliff. From the flames leapt something that was illuminated as bright as a sun. He closed his eyes as it passed into him. There was pain, but it was brief and suddenly Rakish was gone.

The Doci turned and left the flame. Priors entered the room, surrounding him.

"My faithful followers," the Ori spoke through the Doci. "We have suffered a loss of a Doci and followers, but the news of this is not as grave as the new knowledge we have learned. From the Jaffa followers, we discovered beings called the goa'uld but we thought them of little threat. Alone, they are not. But when I was given the follower of Earth called Daniel Jackson, I found in him one of these goa'uld, and the lies the creature had told this follower were nothing short of blasphemy. I tried to separate their minds and to help the follower, but the battle was lost to this sooth-saying parasite. I learned there are others like them, but I was unable to learn where they hid as they led our followers onto paths of darkness. You will search out followers that have joined with these goa'uld, and you will cleanse them both."

"We will obey," the Prior's said.

"And Daniel Jackson and his parasite are to be returned to me. I will cleanse them myself. Go forth and spread the word of Enlightenment."

The Prior's left the room. The Doci looked at the flames, hearing the words of the others in the flames.

"Yes. This abomination will be eradicated and stopped from corrupting our followers further. I will see to this command myself."

The Doci left the room.

The End


End file.
